Most of you who know us are very aware that Elijah’s adoption story is no small miracle. It’s hard to know how to even wrap up his story in the proverbial nutshell. If you are unfamiliar with the miracles that brought our latest treasure home and are up for some reading, I would encourage you to go back in the archives to the middle of August 2008. That’s not when our story started, but that’s when I backtracked and started blogging about it.
In June of 2007 we began sponsoring Elijah through the Philip Hayden Foundation. God planted a seed in our hearts early on and we knew without a shadow of a doubt that Elijah was to be our son. What happened between that point and January 8, 2009 when we were united in person with him could be represented by one “standing stone” after another. Our key verses throughout that time were from Isaiah 45:2-3. “I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” We witnessed leveled mountains, broken down gates, and cut through bars of iron. Our God was mighty and it was an incredible period for our family to live through.
Our Memorial Box is filled with “standing stones” that show God’s faithfulness and hand in our lives, based on Joshua 4. Now we have a literal standing stone to place in our box. You see, Elijah and his new cousin Zane are both from Fujian province. Their home province is know for soapstone. We purchased some on our trip last year, but Elijah’s aunt and uncle also purchased this special standing stone carved from soapstone for our family on their trip just last fall. We felt it was a perfect representation for Elijah’s adoption story. We also wrapped it in twisted “iron” to represent the broken down gates and bars of iron that were cut through that brought Elijah into our family. We thank Him for this indescribable gift, our promised son, and for the journey that He took us through to receive that gift!
Oh how our family rejoices that God broke down gates and cut through barriers to bring Elijah to you and you to Elijah! We remember well the immense joy we had following your journey to your precious older son last January! Then we had the pleasure of meeting you in person last summer, and how sweet it was that our two boys remembered each other!
I am sitting here typing with tears running down my face as we are on the eve of traveling to China to bring home our third treasure (second one from China!). How amazing our God is to bring us together – our children and our families and so many other adoptive families! What an incredible journey our two adoptions have been as well!
We thank our Lord for your family’s story and His guidance through it all.
Love in Christ,
Janet, Kevin, Ted, Philip, and really, really soon to be home Eli
We will always remember what God has done here!